Red Bull chief Laurent Méquise has admitted that he expects the team to be “behind” its bigger rivals when the 2026 F1 season begins.
For the first time since joining the F1 grid in 2005, Red Bull is working with US car giant Ford to manufacture its own engines in line with the introduction of new regulations for both power units and chassis.
Max Verstappen narrowly missed out on winning the team’s fifth straight drivers’ title last year as McLaren’s Lando Norris won the world championship by just two points, but there are big questions about whether he will be strong enough to challenge for the honor in 2026 as Red Bull adapts to running its own power unit.
“I know it’s going to be some challenges. There’s going to be a lot of sleepless nights and a lot of headaches, but I hope you’ll be patient for the first few months,” Mekies told Sky Sports News as the team unveiled its 2026 livery in Detroit on Thursday night.
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Red Bull Racing announced the livery for the 2026 F1 season at a launch event in Detroit. Credit: Red Bull Content Pool
“No one underestimates the scale of the mountain we have to climb. This is the kind of challenge we all want to be a part of and hope to ultimately get to the top of.”
“I think it would be naive, to say the least, to think that we did everything from scratch with a lot of help from Ford and went to our first race and got to the same level as the people who have been doing it for a long time. That’s not going to happen, we’re going to be behind them.
Red Bull supplies its own engines as well as those of its junior team, Racing Bulls. Mercedes manufactures its own engine, which will also be used by reigning constructors’ champion McLaren, along with Williams and Alpine. Ferrari also makes its own engine, which will be used by Haas and Cadillac. Audi, which took over the Sauber team, makes its own engines, while Honda, Red Bull’s former supplier, produces power units for Aston Martin.
Despite concerns about the start of the season, which begins with the Australian Grand Prix on March 8, Mekies believes the team can make significant progress during the season.
Red Bull struggled to compete with McLaren in the middle of last season, but after Mekies replaced Christian Horner as team principal, their performance improved significantly, with Verstappen winning six of the last nine Grands Prix.
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Sky Sports’ Craig Slater speaks with Ford CEO Jim Farley about partnering with Red Bull for the 2026 F1 season
Mekies added: “It’s going to be a season with an incredibly high rate of development, both on the chassis side and the power unit side.
“We believe in our people, and so the fact that we’ve put together what we believe in is a very strong partner and a very strong team.
“Last season, as the final year of the regulation cycle, you could still see how much the team could do in terms of development throughout the season,” he said.
“We’re going to triple or quadruple this in 2026 at the growth rate, certainly in terms of how much we have to learn. So we’ll take it step by step, but with the right level of aggression for him.”
Verstappen: It won’t be easy
Uncertainty over Red Bull’s ability to be competitive in 2026 has led to questions over whether Verstappen will remain with the team this year amid speculation that he is linked to Mercedes.
The Dutchman finally committed in late July to remain at Red Bull for at least one more season, but it remains to be seen how much patience he will need and want.
Asked by Sky Sports News if he expected a car that could compete for wins and titles this year, Verstappen replied: “Time will tell.”
“I mean, we don’t know. The only thing I know is that everyone is giving everything they have.
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Sky Sports’ Craig Slater spoke to Max Verstappen at Red Bull’s season presentation and talked about his goals for the season and Ford’s new power unit.
“We’re trying to move forward and really trying to maximize everything, but we know it’s not easy.”
For the first time in his F1 career, Verstappen will start the season without the guidance of Dr Helmut Marko, who has been Red Bull’s motorsport advisor since Red Bull joined the grid in 2005 and was sacked at the end of 2025.
Following Horner’s sacking in July, the departure of Marko, who was very close to Verstappen and his camp, leaves a new feel to the team’s leadership heading into 2026.
Reflecting on Marko’s departure, Verstappen said: “We had a very emotional discussion after Abu Dhabi. It’s going to be a little different.”
“All good things must come to an end. In any case, see you again. If you go to Graz, let’s have lunch together! We have accomplished so many great things together, and that will always remain in our hearts.”
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